Stirrup.



No. 859,480. PATBNTED JULY 9, 1907.

` M. BOYER.

STIRRUP. APILIUATIOH FILED IAB. 4. 1'907.

A NUR/VE YS [NVM/TOR.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEreE.

MARTIN BOYER, OF ELBOW LAKE, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF TWOTHIRDS TO EDWARDJ'. SGOFIELD AND .TOSTEN E. DYBDAL, OF ELBOW LAKE, MINNESOTA.

STIRRUP. l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 4, 1907. Serial No. 360,432.

.and useful Stirrup, of which the folllowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety stirrup oi that type l in which thefoot plate, hinged to the inner leg of the stirrup'is detachably securedat its opposite end` to the other leg of the stirrup; and the object ofthe invention is to provide a simple and safe locking device forfastening the free ends of the foot plate in operative position, wherebyit is secured from disengagement by any amount oi pressure the rider mayplace on the foot plate, or any rocking motion of the foot while the,rider is in the saddle. v.ln connection with the locking device is apivoted bow standing normally in a forwardly inclined position with thecrown o the bow arch above the riders instep and so placed that if therider is thrown or unseated, the toes oi his boots will act on the bowof each stirrup and cause them to unlock the toot plates and release thefeet of the rider.

With this object in view the invention consists in the peculiar,combination and arrangement of .parts hereinafter described anddefinitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure .l i's a perspective view oi theleft stirrup as seen from the iront, the foot plate being disengaged andpartly swung downward; Fig. 2 is a view of the outer side of the stirrupwith the foot plate in position and locked. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view of a portion of the stirrup showing the foot plateforked for engagement with a projection on one oi the side legs.

Similar numerals of reference indicate the same parts in the vfigures.

The stirrup which has the general form of those now in use, comprises abow l, an outer leg 2 and an inner leg 3. A loop 4 is connected to thebow l for attachment to the usual stirrup strap. The lower end of theouter leg 2 is forked as shown at 5 above which fork is hinged a hook 6on a pivot7. The lower end of the 4 inner leg is formed into a bosswhich serves as one part 8 of a hinged joint for the inner end 9 of thefoot plate l0. A pin ll passes horizontally through the boss 8 and theinner end of the foot plate 9 to serve the pintle for the hinge joint.Springing from the hook 6 above its pivotal connection to the outer leg2 is an inner how l2 the other end 13 of which is pivot-ally connectedto the inner leg 3 by a pin la in line with the pivot 7 on the oppositeleg. The height oi the bow is such that when the rider s foot is restingon the foot plate the usual motions of the foot may be made withouttouching or dangerously i moving the bow, but if an accident shouldoccur and the rider be dismounted or thrown the toe of his boot wouldcatch the bow and swing it on its pivots.

Patented July 9, 1907.

The foot plate l0, as before stated is pivoted to the inn er bow 3.

The outer end of the foot plate terminates in a T-shaped projection l5,the stein 1 6 of which passes, when the foot plate is in operativeposition, between the prongs of the fork 5 on the lower end of the outerleg 2. The lugs 17 on the cross piece 18 of the T head projection l5pass around and brace the front and rcar sides oi the prongs ot the fork5, respectively, thereby holding the foot plate rigidly in position andpreventing it from rocking.

The bow l2 is now swung forward until the hook 6 passes beneath theprojection l5, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the bow assuming theforwardly inclined position there shown. In this position the weight ofthe bow being thrown forward of the vertical planevof the pivot 7 servesto maintain the hook 6 in locked position, and thus prevent accidentalunlocking and release oi the foot plate when mounting or dismounting.

It will be understood that instead of a fork 5 on the end of the leg 2straddling the projection of the foot plate, a pin 19 may be substitutedfor the fork and the ,inclined forwardly. Should the rider be thrown ordismounted his foot, rocking on the ioot plate as a ful- `crum wouldcause the toe of his boot to be raised to such a height as to strike theinner bow l2 and raise it to the substantially vertical position, shownin Fig. l. This would cause the hook 6 to swing forwardly on its pivotand pass from beneath the projection l5 oi the i'oot plate, which latterbeing relieved of any outside support would swing downwardly and releasethe rider 7s foot from the stirrup.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is The combinationin a stirrup having inner and outer legs, of a foot plate pivoted to thein-ner leg and adapted to swing downward by gravity, the opposite end ofthe foot plate and the lower portion of the outer leg havinginterengagng members to prevent independent lateral play, a pivoted bowarranged within the legs, said bow having at one end a curved hookadapted to engage under the free end of the foot plate and hold thesame-locked to the outer leg, the how when in locking position being inclined. forward, so that its weight tends to maintain the hook in lockedposition.

witnesses.

Witnesses:

JOHN WIGLEY, L. C. JoHNsoN.

MARTIN BOYER.

